extreme dizziness

Hi all , this as a 2nd message regarding bouts of dizziness , its been 3 weeks since my pacemaker was inserted and have been up beat active and happy about the whole affair .Unfortunately the last few days have brought me crashing back down with a bump . I am having serious bouts of dizziness to the extent of nearly blacking out and short of breath. mentally and physically I feel absolutely fine which worries me even more as to what these attacks could be .they last for about 15 to 20 mins , anxiety has been mentioned but as ive never experienced anxiety before its difficult to accept because I don't feel any stress etc . Has any one had any experiences like this , im 42 years of age , many thanks , dave

3 Comments

Cardioligist

by Barnes42 - 2016-03-26 07:03:39

Hi artist , firstly thanks for our comments and advice . Blacked out on 24/2/2016 and was rushed to hospital where I had a resting heart rate of 28 along with 2nd degree heart block , there has been no family history what so ever and am pretty fit and healthy , the pacemaker is there for when and as needed but to be honest although being positive I haven't felt right since leaving hospital . These attacks have knocked my confidence so thanks for confirming my thoughts and I will go to see a cardiologist ASAP . Many thanks , Dave

MIGHT be Anxiety Related

by Shaun - 2016-03-26 11:03:35

You should not just assume it's anxiety, but if all the tests show everything is fine, then anxiety is a distinct possibility. I went through a period of post-PM anxiety myself which felt odd at the time because like you say, I didn't feel stressed. It was very difficult to work out what the triggers were because I could be fine one moment (watching TV, sleeping, working, driving etc.) and then feel very wierd the next. Like you also say, these attacks knocked my confidence which served only to exacerbate the problem. The thing that turned it around for me was my last appointment with my cardiologist following all the tests. His conclusion was that I was "strong as an ox" and that maybe cardio rehab would be a good idea. At the time it seemed an odd combination of things to say, but then I figured maybe it was his way of saying my problem was more psychological. Anyway I researched anxiety and while there is no one standard set of anxiety symptoms for everyone, what I was experiencing did seem to fit quite well. Once I came to this realisation I then learned to control my symptoms to the point that I can nolonger remember the last time I exerienced an attack. I also did not bother with the cardio rehab.

More Information

by Artist - 2016-03-26 12:03:48

It's difficult to know what to tell you without more information regarding your medical history and the reason your PM was implanted. In my case my PM was implanted because a very low heart rate (bradycardia) prevented me from tolerating medications for my arrythmias. My PM keeps my HR from falling below 60 BPM. It is common to go through a period of time following implant when PM settings and medication types and doses need to be adjusted. Your serious bouts of dizziness need to be evaluated ASAP by your cardiologist. I did well for the first 16 months after my implant and for unexplicable reasons started having severe arrythmias that sent me to the ER for 5 days. It's better to be safe than sorry. Your dizziness and almost passing could also occur when you are driving. You should not have to live with the uncertainty of wondering when you might actually pass out. Please get an appointment with your cardiologist. I see that you have previously gone to the ER, but since the condition is persisting, a more thorough evaluation by your doctor may help.

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